Sleeping without breath.: one woman's frightening story.The Greek word "apnea" means "without breath" People with untreated sleep apnea sleep apnea, episodes of interrupted breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is a common disorder in which relaxation of muscles in the throat repeatedly close off the airway during sleep; the person wakes just enough to take a gasping breath. slop breathing repeatedly while they slumber, often hundreds of times, often for a minute or longer. --American Sleep Apnea Association In early January 2002 I awoke with a headache so bad I couldn't raise my head Such events had been happening to me more and more frequently. After swallowing some pills and drawing in some strong, deep breaths, I began to feel better, After I got up and moved around a bit, the pain faded The next morning the pattern repeated itself. After six such rude awakenings in a row I knew something was terribly wrong. I didn't think stress was causing my headaches, but what was? They were excruciating. And why did I always seem to awaken feeling as if I'd had no rest at all? I knew I snored and often tossed and tinned in my sleep, but what did that have to do with my aching head? Sitting down at my computer, I went to my favorite search engine and typed in the words "morning headache." Nearly every site that popped up contained something about a condition called "sleep apnea." Intrigued, I began my research. I had no idea that what I'd find would change my life. I learned that sleep apnea is a very real condition affecting millions. Typically, what happens to most victims begins in the back of the throat. The soft tissue there collapses as they sleep, shutting off their airway. The brain, finding itself suddenly devoid of a fresh supply of oxygen, sends a signal to the kings "Take in air now!" it orders. At this point the person awakens--if only for a moment--to breathe. Imagine ceasing to breathe for 10 to 20 seconds, then strenuously gasping in air, then stopping again--hundreds of times during what is supposed to be eight hours of restful rest·ful adj. 1. Affording, marked by, or suggesting rest; tranquil. See Synonyms at comfortable. 2. Being at rest; quiet. rest slumber: For the sleep apnea sufferer, this happens every night. --U.S. Food and Drug Administrator As a result, sufferers often awake with headaches caused by lack of oxygen. In short, they're battling carbon dioxide carbon dioxide, chemical compound, CO2, a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is about one and one-half times as dense as air under ordinary conditions of temperature and pressure. poisoning! Most unsettling un·set·tle v. un·set·tled, un·set·tling, un·set·tles v.tr. 1. To displace from a settled condition; disrupt. 2. To make uneasy; disturb. v.intr. of all, I learned that in many cases people stopped breathing in their sleep and never began again. They just quietly slipped away. I'd heard the lament "She died in her sleep," but failed to realize that the death might have been caused by such a condition, a malady malady /mal·a·dy/ (-ah-de) disease. mal·a·dy n. A disease, disorder, or ailment. malady a disease or illness. with which I might be struggling. A diagnosis of sleep apnea would certainly explain why I felt so miserable in the mornings. I wanted to know what caused this condition and what I could do about it. With headaches pressing and fear looming, I determined not to become another statistic. I began to research treatment options. Mentioned online were several sleep disorder Sleep disorder Any condition that interferes with sleep. At least 84 have been identified, according to the American Sleep Disorders Association. Mentioned in: Insomnia, Night Terrors clinics where I could make an appointment and my condition could be properly diagnosed. I learned that if the doctors deemed it necessary, I could obtain a machine to wear at night that would help me get an adequate amount of oxygen. But was there something I could do on my own? I found that there was, and the answer was staring me in the face each time I looked in the mirror. At five-foot-two and 275 pounds, I knew I had a weight problem. I'd even conceded the fact that my snoring snoring, rough, vibratory sounds made in breathing during sleep or coma. The noisy breathing is the result of an open mouth and a relaxation of the palate; it is frequently induced by lying on one's back. might be the result of weight gain. But sleep apnea? Impossible! The more I researched, the more I began to see a pattern. While my excessive weight might not be the only cause of the condition, it certainly wasn't helping. With that in mind, l went ahead and contacted a local sleep disorder clinic and awaited their call. In the meantime Adv. 1. in the meantime - during the intervening time; "meanwhile I will not think about the problem"; "meantime he was attentive to his other interests"; "in the meantime the police were notified" meantime, meanwhile I made a monumental decision. I would lose weight. Like millions of other Americans, I'd dieted before and failed miserably. Yet now, with possibly my very life hanging in the balance, losing those excessive pounds took on a whole new urgency. Web site after Web site heralded the same message--if you'd lose even 5 to 10 percent of your body weight, the effects of sleep apnea could be lessened. While I waited to hear from the clinic I began my journey to better health--one pound at a time. Today people ask me, "How'd you do it? How did you lose the weight?" My answer is always the same. "I just decided." I set my eye on that minimal goal--a 10 percent weight loss. That meant I'd need to drop 275 pounds. No big deal. I did it. Then I lost another 26. And another. And another. To date, I've removed 118 pounds from my body. And my sleep apnea and morning headaches? They resolved themselves without medical intervention the minute that first 10 percent dropped off! I wish this could be the case for everyone, Sleep apnea is far more common than I had imagined. Some who battle this illness don't have a weight problem and must pursue other options. But for many like me relief can come naturally as the pounds melt away. An estimated 14 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea (at least 2-4 percent of the adult population), but it often gets dismissed as just heavy snoring. --California Center for Sleep Disorders Sleep Disorders Definition Sleep disorders are a group of syndromes characterized by disturbance in the patient's amount of sleep, quality or timing of sleep, or in behaviors or physiological conditions associated with sleep. Sleep apnea has been called a silent killer silent killer Silent lesion Medtalk Popular for a condition that may progress to very advanced stages before manifesting itself clinically . In my case it took a season of absolute desperation to help mc understand just how life-threatening this condition could be and what I needed to do to overcome it. Don't let it creep into your home unannounced. Pay attention to the warning signs. If sleep apnea is left untreated, the most common symptoms or side effects Side effects Effects of a proposed project on other parts of the firm. are: * Severe snoring * Restless sleep (gasping, snorting 'snorting' Substance abuse A popular method for consuming cocaine and opiates–one nostril is held closed, the other inhales pulverized cocaine. See Cocaine, Crack. , flailing, sitting up, even getting out of bed though you're not truly awake) * Morning headaches * Daytime sleepiness * High blood pressure * Weight gain It's important that you see a doctor if you think you might be suffering from this condition. Such action could save your life. Qualified medical professionals can suggest any number of treatment options, including: * Decongestants Decongestants Definition Decongestants are medicines used to relieve nasal congestion (stuffy nose). Purpose A congested or stuffy nose is a common symptom of colds and allergies. * Sleeping on your back * Weight loss * Surgery * Breathing machine Don't wait. Sleeping without breath isn't much fun. Learn the facts; then take action. Trust me, you'll sleep a whole lot better. Janice Thompson is a freelance author living near Houston, Texas If you think that you or someone you love might be struggling with sleep apnea, check out these organizations for advice and help. American Sleep Apnea Association The American Sleep Apnea Association (ASAA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 by persons with sleep apnea and concerned health care providers and researchers. ASAA Mission 1424 K Street NW., Suite 302 Washington, DC 20005 202-293-3650 www.sleepapnea.org American Association for Respiratory Care 9425 N. MacArthur Blvd., Suite 100 Irving, TX 75063 972-243-2272 www.aarc.org American Lung Association The American Lung Association (ALA) is a non-profit organization that "fights lung disease in all its forms, with special emphasis on asthma, tobacco control and environmental health". 61 Broadway, 6th Floor New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of , NY 10006 212-315-8700 www.lungusa.org American Academy of Sleep Medicine The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) is a United States professional society for the medical subspecialty of sleep medicine. It was established in 1975. Its membership consists of physicians, researchers and other health care professionals who specialize in the study, One Westbrook Corporate Center, Suite 920 Westchester, IL 60154 708-492-0930 www.aasmnet.org |
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